One of the
lesser-known
musical
instruments
is the
theater
organ, a
massive
instrument
consisting
of pipes,
keyboards,
and pedals.
The pipes
are sold in
sets called
ranks, with
each set of
pipes
producing
similar
pitches and
timbres. It
took
thousands of
years to
develop this
instrument,
as inventors
faced the
challenge of
having to
pressurize
air and
force it
through the
instrument’s
pipes. Once
the The
Rudolph
Wurlitzer
Company
bought a
pipe organ
design from
a rather
unsuccessful
inventor,
they used
the
popularity
of the
silent film
industry to
sell a
number of
models.
Although
many
organizations
no longer
use the
theater
organ, there
are still
several
dozen in use
throughout
the world.

The
Origin of
the Theater
Organ

The very
first
theater
organ was
not designed
in the 1800s
or 1900s. An
innovative
man named
Ctesibius of
Alexandria
built the
first pipe
organ in
approximately
B.C. 200.
The
instrument
was called
the
hydraulis
because it
used water
pressure to
regulate the
pressurized
wind needed
to produce
sound in the
pipes. This
was a very
rudimentary
form of the
modern
theater
organ, but
it sparked
an interest
in using
pipes to
make music.
The
availability
of
electricity
made it much
easier for
inventors
and
engineers to
create
better organ
models.
Robert
Hope-Jones
developed a
new organ
design in
the 1800s,
but he was
never able
to make
money from
his idea. He
sold his
business to
a musical
instrument
company
called The
Rudolph
Wurlitzer
Company.

When he sold
his business
to Wurlitzer
in
approximately
1910, the
film
industry was
gaining
popularity
around the
world. At
this time,
there was no
way to
reproduce
sound for
large movie
audiences.
Movie
theater
owners
experimented
with the
idea of
adding music
to silent
films as a
way to set
their
theaters
apart from
competing
theaters.
Some
exhibitors
used the
piano, but
piano music
did not fill
large
spaces.
Large
companies
used
orchestras
to accompany
silent
films, but
this was a
significant
expense.
Wurlitzer
capitalized
on this
opportunity
and started
selling pipe
organs to
theaters.

Northwest
Theater
Organ
History
– This
guide
explains
how some
of the
theater
organs
in the
Northwest
were
repurposed
in
skating
rinks,
social
clubs,
and
restaurants.
It also
links to
information
on the
original
theater
organs
in
Oregon,
Washington,
Montana,
Idaho,
Alaska,
and
British
Columbia.

Types of
Organs

The original
theater
organ was a
pipe organ,
which uses
pressurized
air to
create
sound. These
organs are
massive in
size, as
each pipe
only
produces a
single
pitch. Pipe
organists
use
keyboards
and pedal
boards to
control the
air moving
through the
pipes at any
given time.
The
electronic
organ is a
less
expensive
alternative
to massive
pipe organs.
These organs
also take up
much less
space. This
type of
organ mimics
the sound of
theater
organs using
electronic
components.
The organist
has the
ability to
select the
type of
sound the
organ will
produce when
he or she
presses
certain keys
or pedals.
These organs
are much
more
affordable
for churches
and other
groups that
do not have
the budget
or the space
for a
genuine pipe
organ.

Organ
Types
and
Components
– This
guide
discusses
the
differences
between
pipe and
electronic
organs.
It also
explains
how all
of the
components
of the
pipe
organ
work
together
to
produce
music.

Uses of
the Theater
Organ

Movie
exhibitors
were not the
only people
to realize
the benefits
of using the
theater
organ to add
excitement
to special
events. Some
baseball
stadiums had
genuine pipe
organs used
to play
favorites
such as
“Take Me Out
to the
Ballgame.”
Roller
skating
rinks,
restaurants,
ice skating
rinks, and
museums also
used theater
organs to
attract new
customers
and set
themselves
apart from
competitors.
Churches
with
buildings
large enough
to
accommodate
this type of
organ also
used theater
organs for
liturgical
music during
worship
services and
special
church
events. Once
the
popularity
of the
theater
organ
declined,
some wealthy
people
purchased
them for
their homes.
The Biltmore
Estate, the
home of
George
Washington
Vanderbilt,
still has a
massive pipe
organ that
plays
classical
pieces like
Wagner’s
“Ride of the
Valkyries.”
The organ is
located
above the
Biltmore
Estate’s
luxurious
banquet
hall, which
has seating
for more
than 20
guests.

Theater
Organ
Radio
– The
American
Theater
Organ
Society
offers a
radio
station
that
plays
more
than
1,000
theater
organ
pieces.

New
York
Theater
Organ
Installations
– This
resource
contains
a list
of
theater
organ
locations
in New
York,
making
it easy
for New
York
residents
and
visitors
to see
the
majestic
theater
organ in
person.

Radio
City
Music
Hall
– This
article
discusses
the
history
of the
Wurlitzer
theater
organ
located
in Radio
City
Music
Hall.

Current
Theater
Organ Use

Despite
their
decline in
popularity,
there are
still some
notable
theater
organs in
use today.
Radio City
Music Hall
uses the
theater
organ during
the famed
Radio City
Christmas
Spectacular.
This organ
is the
country’s
largest
original
installation
organ, as it
has four
keyboards
and 58 sets
of pipes. It
takes 11
different
rooms to
hold all of
the pipes
used by this
organ.
Atlantic
City
Convention
Hall, Avalon
Casino,
Weinberg
Center, and
Rialto
Square
Theater also
have theater
organs still
in use.
There are
also a
number of
operational
theater
organs in
Europe.
Great
Britain
still has
nine theater
organs in
use, with
organs at
Dome Concert
Hall,
Southampton
Guildhall
Compton,
Pavilion
theater
Compton,
Odeon,
Hammersmith
Apollo,
Blackpool
Opera House,
Stockport
Plaza, EMD,
and
Blackpool
Tower.
theater
organs are
also in use
in Germany,
Switzerland,
and the
Netherlands.

Theater
Organ
Videos
– The
Garden
State
theater
Organ
Society
presents
several
videos
that
demonstrate
the
versatility
of the
theater
organ.

Virtual
Theater
Organ
– This
site
allows
users to
learn
more
about
the
theater
organ
using
interactive
activities.

Brief
History
of the
Organ
– This
article
discusses
the
evolution
of the
theater
organ
and
explains
why
theaters
used
organs
instead
of
hiring
full
orchestras.